


Burn the life you'll only live once

by Melphis_Amekia



Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cyberpunk, Cyberpunk AU, F/F, F/M, Graphic depictions of violence - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Porn With Plot, Smut, Swearing, and it's gonna get intense, and stuff I remember elsewhere, sorta - Freeform, that violence will happen in the future, the plot is very important too, the same goes for relationships, there's just a lot of porn that will happen, which is when I'll update the tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-10 11:28:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10436652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melphis_Amekia/pseuds/Melphis_Amekia
Summary: Everything Velvet ever loved was taken away from her by the supposed saviors of the world, who say they will finally have mankind reach the true prosperity it deserves. With the hatred she posseses, she is going to fight them until all that is left of their efforts are charred ruins.





	1. Memories and Accidents

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first, and probably going to be my longest fic I'll write for Berseria. It was actually supposed to be a one-shot smut fic originally, the idea taken from the "Boss: Do you know why I called you here? Me: Cause I accidentally sent you a dick pic Boss: *stops pouring two glasses of wine* Accidentally?" meme/pic going around tumblr... but, I don't just write smut, I always add background context for it, and it turned out what I wrote had enough in it that I could make a whole AU out of it. I am super excited to reveal it to you all, and I hope you'll love it!

Velvet leaned at the edge of the door, looking at Laphi with fondness as he read yet another book past his bedtime. It was an endearing sight, him in his white-and-blue-starred pajamas, reading in his kid-sized bed, enveloped in one green and one brown blanket, both of which were bigger than him. While she would have loved to let him read on, like she did on weekends, tomorrow was a school day.

„Doing some late-night reading, Laphi?” she asked teasingly.

„Oh, Velvet!” Laphi squeaked, closing the book the moment he heard her voice. „Um, I guess I kinda lost track of time.”

Velvet sat beside him and tried again, to no avail, to get that one strand that stuck out like a little halo back in place before turning her attention to the book. It was an old biology textbook, a large bug proudly displayed on the front page despite how faded it was. Her silence must have been awkward for him, because he started speaking carefully, as if testing the waters:

„I saw this book lying around in the box room and I kind of got interested in it, so I started reading it. There’s so much fascinating stuff in it, Velvet!” Laphi’s voice rose with excitement. „So much information about animals and plants and different creatures, I could go on about it for hours!”

Velvet chuckled, which made Laphi stop talking. „It certainly didn’t take you long to get excited about it. Though... I think what really drew your attention was this bug on the front cover. Am I right?”

His face became as red as a tomato. He looked away from her, still too shy to speak as any other young boy might have(to Velvet’s distress), and nodded.

„It’s alright, Laphi.You’re not in any trouble.” He didn’t look like he believed her, so Velvet changed her approach.

„Tell you what - pay closer attention to the time from now on, and I’ll get you more of these books. Deal?”

„Really?” Laphi asked, his eyes lighting up like fire. He jumped out of his covers and hugged her around the neck, squeezing as tight as a twelve-year-old boy could.

„Yes, really!” she replied, hoping her voice conveyed just how much she wanted to do this for him.

Velvet hoped to give the whole world to him.

Laphi broke off the hug and stared at her in amazement before nodding furiously.

„I’ll do it, Velvet, I swear it!”

„Such a serious boy.” Velvet teased, his blush returning to his face. „If you really are that serious, you should go to sleep right now. I don’t think I need to remind you that you have school tomorrow, right?”

„Of course not, Velvet.” Laphi replied, not even giving her the chance to tuck him in by jumping straight back into his blankets and retreating the glasses embedded into his skin. „And you should go to sleep too, Velvet. You have work to go to, and I don’t want you to be tired because of me.” As if to make a point, he yawned, almost making Velvet involuntarily yawn as well.

Velvet shook her head, amused by the care in his words. She could go for a whole week with a few hours of sleep, but he did not need to know that, or why she could do it. Still, she smiled like he spoke the truth and said:

„Yeah, I’ll go to bed as well. Goodnight, Laphi. Sleep well.”

„Goodnight, Velvet.”

As she stepped away from the bed, she surveyed the room, her heart aching at how sparse it was. The small shelf on the right side of the room, illuminated by the little bit of moonlight coming from the window, didn’t have enough books to fill it. The desk below it was just big enough for a boy Laphi’s age, but it would soon become too small for all his things. The tall, but thing closet packed all of his clothes, which wasn’t a lot. The brown walls were bare. If it weren’t for that ancient compass Laphi had with him when Velvet... _found_ him, no one would have thought someone actually lived here. There was nothing resembling an electronic part in the room, except for Laphi, that is, making it look more like a late 20th century apartment instead of a 22nd century one.

That could be said for the whole apartment, the little there was of it. Maybe it was enough for now, but Velvet wished she could afford better. It’s not like Velvet had a choice in it - the jobs she had to take and things she had to do in the past, they did not pay very well. Saving the money she had on something was as far away from her thoughts as the time between now and the happy childhood she had. Even if she knew there were better, stronger ways to get her revenge, Velvet did every single thing, no matter how light, to hurt him.

Until she met a boy, exploited as much as Laphi ended up being, on one such occasion. Her left hand, all of its charred black and blood red clawed horror on display, was wrecking havoc at a supply line of her enemies. That boy was sent to die to take her out. That boy had just now started breathing evenly, like sleep overtook him.

That boy she almost killed that night.

Velvet sighed, shrugging off the images of the past as she stared at her left hand, now hidden by one of the most expensive enhancements she got her hands on. Laphi had not changed much about her desire for revenge, really. But, having to care for someone else when she hadn’t taken care for herself for more than five years opened new perspectives about her goals. She quieted down her activities and decided to plan her revenge more for the long run.

To that end, along with having to take care of Laphi, Velvet pulled some old strings and landed herself a secretary job at a directly competing corporation. Well, the front for the company’s actual business, as in all kinds of body enhancements and drugs, was quite the thing, and it amused to no end Velvet was more-less in charge of it. It was a good enough position to get all the information she needed, overall, and perfect to plan her next move.

If only her stingy, lazy as hell boss could make it easier for her. It made Velvet want to rant, but she resisted. She had ways of dealing with her boss, most of which involved suffering her tirades and just doing the job she was ordered to do. Because Velvet did them quite well, and because of the many _different_ things she imagined doing to her boss, she could get through the day without showing how much anger she carried inside of her.

Getting some rest would make that easier, so Velvet listened to Laphi’s suggestion and went to her own room, identical to his except for her personal holo-computer, which emitted a faint red light in what was otherwise a prison-dark room. Even Laphi didn’t have access to her computer, since it had things he was never ever supposed to see... and not to mention her computer attachment, Pact.

Velvet laid down on her bare bed and closed her eyes. Her torn mind didn’t let her sleep as fast as she wanted it to, but the thought of finding old, tech-antiquated books for Laphi made it all a little bit easier.

\----------------------

It was a flight of fancy, that damnable picture. Velvet looked into the mirror of her bathroom and, in a rare fit of good mood, thought she looked really good(even with her hair a total mess because she hadn’t had the time to comb through it). Getting every product she owned out of the way, she took a photo of herself.

A naked photo.

Which, instead of simply saving it on her Pact, Velvet somehow sent to her boss.

Anger coursed through her like liquid metal. If there was a way for her to throw off her arm into the wall so it would shatter in as many pieces as there were electronic parts in the arm, Velvet would have done it without regret. As it was, she could only stare at the back of her hand and curse herself for making such a mistake

Her mind raced with scenarios of what she should do. There was little point in trying to cover it up somehow, make some sort of an apology or excuse. Not that Velvet couldn’t do it, but that’s not how things flew in the corporate world. A lot of bosses would use that either as grounds to fire her, or blackmail her. If she cared for her reputation, the great possibility of it being leaked to the internet would have bothered her as well. Whatever it ended up being, it was Velvet’s mistake, and she would own up to it.

Besides, there was a slight chance the picture never went through. It was futile, perhaps, to hope that happened, but Velvet really did need this job. Not even because she needed it for them to survive, but for the access she had while working there. Laphi did make her living hell more bearable, but the one thing that would make her mind rest at ease was destroying Artorius and everything he stood for. Losing her job would make the plans she was developing harder to work.

And just as Velvet thought everything was settling down well.

Hearing the footsteps outside the bathroom snapped Velvet back into reality. Laphi was up and about, which meant he would have to get ready for school soon. Velvet checked the time on her Pact - 6.30 am. Perfect. Enough time for a shower and to get ready herself and Laphi for the day. Since she was naked anyway, she stepped into the shower and turned on the water to a comfortable temperature. As the water rained onto her, Velvet concentrated on thinking about the things she needed to do to get everything done on time. What happened with the picture still plagued her mind, but it was less important at the moment.

Velvet would deal with it when the time came.

For now, as she finished showering, got dressed in her business attire - sleek black jacket, red blouse, black pants and black flats - and put on a little bit of makeup, there was Phi to worry about. He was sitting on the rather ragged gray couch, still in his blue-spotted-with-white pajamas, eating some cereal. His attention was on the large flat-screen TV Velvet got a good deal for at a shop which sold goods that were thrown away. A popular cartoon about some strange looking aliens defending the earth from monsters was being played on it. Velvet could never remember its name, always being reminded of how the true monsters were humans, not some made up creatures.

But Laphi’s animated face reminded her of why she let him watch it in the first place. It had been only several months since he came into her care, and he was already acting a lot more like an actual young boy than the lifeless robot he was before.

„Good morning, Laphi.”

„Good morning, Velvet.” he replied and turned his gaze from the TV to give her a bright smile.

„I see you’re in a good mood.” Velvet said, smiling too. „Do you want anything to go with that cereal? It’s not healthy if that’s the only thing you have for breakfast.”

He started thinking, but Velvet didn’t wait for him to finish, knowing he’d want some sort of an unhealthy snack. There were a few apples in a bowl on the kitchen counter. Velvet washed one a bit, for safety, before giving it to Laphi.

„Come on, eat it and go get dressed.” Her tone was firm, though bright. Phi looked slightly defeated, but just nodded and bit into it, his attention back on the screen. Velvet took the sight in with fondness, allowing herself a moment before going back to the kitchen counter. There was lunch to be made for the both of them, something for Phi to eat when he gets back home(since his school always ended before Velvet’s job) and preparation for the dinner she would make when she got home. Bought nutrition-packed meals were also stored if they ended up being necessary, but Velvet disliked using them over actual food.

Laphi liked it that way. He said, more than once, how alive it made him feel to eat food.

By the time both of them were ready to go out, which was about half past seven, the picture was out of Velvet’s mind as if blown away by the wind.

The old as hell, scratched red Venus ran like shit as Velvet drove it across the Stoneburry roads. She would have loved if she could have flown it to her destinations, but this was the best model she could get for the price. Laphi was at least comfortable enough in these scratched black seats and wasn’t bothered being seeing going out of it to school, but Velvet still wished she could afford him something better.

Just like she used to wish for her dead Laphi.

Velvet waved Laphi goodbye, watching him in a kind of quiet serenity as he approached the run-down, graffiti stained, two story building of the local school. She didn’t leave for work until he disappeared behind the entrance. As soon as he did, Velvet started the car again and drove through the traffic-filled streets until she found Drag Avenue 5 and the huge, glass-walled building which housed the Lou Corporation. The old gate guard, as always, looked at her with disapproval, but Velvet paid it no heed as her ID went through and she went past him. It was hard to find a decent place to park, with all the people milling about and the parking lot almost full. After some searching, she found an available spot, right beside her boss’ extravagant pink-with-a-rainbow-over-its-hood colored convertible.

Oh, right. Velvet almost forgot that she’d have her boss to deal with soon. With the slightest bit of apprehension, she got out of her car, found the nearest elevator(unfortunately full of people, _again_ ), and pressed the button for 21st floor, where her, and her boss’s, offices were. Once out, Velvet passed the cubicles where the main staff worked and arrived at her, as usual, tidy and organized desk. Not that her boss cared how messy it was, so long as she got the job done. What surprised her was that her boss was actually in her office, which was not usual. Velvet couldn’t recall a time that she arrived before noon... but, she shrugged it off, hoping it was her taking some responsibility for once.

She started the holo-computer, which sprang to life in a second. Velvet was prepared to deal with the usual work assigned to her - reviewing all the administrative papers she’d have to read through and sign instead of her boss. However, her screen showed a picture containing a heart, in which, in a messy scrawl, it read:

„Join me in the office as soon as possible, my dearest.”

Ah. So Magilou was up to her usual dramatics. The heart seemed a bit too much though, even for her. With her this early at the workplace, Velvet was sure something was up. Sighing, she went through the glass door that divided their work spaces, hoping she could get this over with fast.

It was darker in the room than Velvet expected - aside from the glass door she came through and a half-opened window, no light poured into the spacious room, blocked by the last remaining part of the famous Bells. A comfortable-looking black couch sat to Velvet’s right, while most of the left side of the room was filled with dark brown cabinets. Magilou’s desk was a complete mess, papers and magic-type looking toys strewn across it. Right behind it stood she, Magilou, Velvet’s good-for-nothing boss. She was pouring something from a bottle into something Velvet couldn’t see, obstructed as she was by her boss’ petite body.

Was it Velvet’s imagination, or did Magilou’s pink-and-blue plaid shirt seem even more revealing than before? With a closer look, it really was, because she could see through the shirt... and she could see no bra straps.

„Do you know why I summoned you here, my dearest?” asked Magilou, her voice as cheery as usual.

„Because I accidentally sent you a nude picture of me.” Velvet replied simply. To her utter shock, the bottle Magilou was holding dropped from her hands, the liquid staining the grey carpeted floor. With such a dramatic flourish only someone like Magilou could summon, she turned towards Velvet, one full and one half full glass of what Velvet guessed was wine, and proclaimed in an offended voice:

„Accidentally? Now, now, my dear, that simply won’t do. Such a tasteful shot is not sent by some sort of an accident! I had thought my charming personality and wit had finally won you over, where you of your own volition gathered up the courage to approach me with that beautiful picture! To me, it spoke you were finally ready to join the rest of the company in the most debauched ways, and do it with me, no less!” As she spoke, she played with the buttons of her shirt, as if ready to get rid of them at any moment.

„I assure you, it was a mistake. I would never send something like that to my boss.” Velvet had no idea if it was the right thing to say. In another company, the situation would seem absurd... but, as the main legal work of the Lou company was porn business, Magilou’s words actually made sense.

„I see.” said Magilou. It was Velvet’s first time hearing her to be so serious, and with the face to match it. Chills went down her spine. Velvet had the grasp of how to handle the usual Magilou, but this was something else.

Magilou closed the distance between them, almost so it was uncomfortable. Even though she was shorter than Velvet, she certainly knew how to make a presence of herself.

„Tell me, Velvet. I’ve heard some things about you before I hired you. How efficient you are with a job you’re given, if only to survive. How good you are with... _certain_ things. How you don’t care who you’re fucking, as long as they are good in bed. I have to say, I was intrigued.”

Velvet grabbed the front of Magilou’s shirt and brought her up to the tips of her toes, the sudden anger at the mentions of her past risen up like an erupting geyser.

„Who are you to think talking to me about that is a good idea?” she all but snarled out. And Magilou laughed! Laughed, straight into her face!

But those thin, red lips were so close to Velvet, and the green eyes staring at her never seemed so alive as they did right now.

„There’s that twinkle in your eyes I see when you think I’m particularly annoying.” said Magilou, a bit of cheeriness returned to her voice. „I can see the thoughts going in your head. They are transparent, really. You want to bend me over this exact table and have your way with me, don’t you? Rip of all my clothes and leave your mark on my body, fuck me so hard I can barely stand.”

Magilou then smiled, which sent another chill through Velvet.

„And the best part is? I want you to do that to me. I want you to punish me as you see fit and I want that again and again and again!”

Velvet had no idea if it was magic, but she could not hold herself any more, or deny how many times she shrugged off the images of just that same punishment Magilou was talking about as she was working while also being the only one able to see through that door how Magilou lazed around in her office. She kissed her roughly, biting Magilou’s lip, not even attempting an illusion of being gentle. It was fun, exploring the witches mouth as she squirmed under her grasp. However, if she was to have her way with Magilou, this was not the position to do it in.

A bit of prudence still remained in her mind. Velvet pulled slightly away from Magilou and asked:

„Can anyone see or hear us?”

Magilou grinned like a wicked witch. „My dear, I took extra care in soundproofing and concealing this office. Wouldn’t want my employees to get distracted if some naughty things were being done here, after all!”

That was good enough for Velvet, the desire building up in her winning over the reason.

With a hard flick of her wrist, Velvet tore Magilou’s shirt right off her, which sent her tumbling back into the desk. Despite the obvious pain that flashed on her face, Magilou seemed unhurt. If anything, her smile grew all the wider.

„You’re crazy.” said Velvet, as if stating a fact.

„Takes one to know one.”

Velvet shut Magilou’s mouth with her hand, hard.

„You’ve got an amusing mouth. Why don’t I put it to work on something else instead of giving me lip, hmmmm? Or I could leave that for later, and see just how much I can make you squirm. I don’t want to be already spent during that.”

She descended onto Magilou’s neck, making sure to suck hard and bite as much of it as possible. Every shudder that went through Magilou’s body, every moan she felt stopped by her fingers made Velvet more and more aroused. She had only just started working on Magilou, and the woman was already losing control of herself.

This was far from how Velvet expected this to go, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to stop now that she was having this much fun.

Still on her neck, with one hand, she took one of Magilou’s breasts and started playing with it. After a while, with one last pinch on the nipple, she started roaming across her back with that hand, grazing the smooth creamy skin with her nails, before going deeper down and finding a pesky skirt in the way. Without much thought, Velvet tore it away too, finding it hot how not only did Magilou want this so bad she not only didn’t have a bra on, but no panties as well. She wished now she was as well prepared for this as Magilou was, but she was sure Magilou won’t mind.

As if sensing her thoughts, Magilou started unbuttoning Velvet’s shirt, which was beginning to feel stifling.

„Good. You’re already picking up on your mistress’ wants.” she cooed. „I think a little reward is in order.”

Velvet took her hand of Magilou’s mouth so she could take off her upper garments properly, throwing them away somewhere. Before she could give Magilou enough of a chance to speak - not that she thought any other sound that a moan could escape her lips, given how out of breath and in ecstasy she already looked - Velvet put two of her fingers in Magilou’s mouth and took a nipple in her mouth at the same time. She bit hard into it, loving how it made Magilou arch from pleasure. Her free hand grabbed Magilou’s ass firmly. Moving slightly away so Velvet could have the space necessary, she turned Magilou over, the woman finally bended over the desk as Velvet imagined so many times before.

Velvet had to admit, Magilou was beautiful like a sweet flower, especially naked like this. It would almost be a shame to blemish the smooth skin before her more than she already had. Almost.

„Tell me, Magilou.” She said, releasing her fingers from Magilou’s mouth. Her other hand was wandering around Magilou’s cunt, close to brushing along it but never quite coming close. She was already so wet there, and Velvet hadn’t even gotten to the fun parts. The frustrated noise, pretty much a growl, Magilou made was such a pleasure to hear.

„How much do you want this?” Velvet asked, biting her lip. She wanted to extend this teasing torture as long as she possibly could „How much do you want me to fuck you senseless?”

„I cannot even begin to describe i-IIIIIIIITTTT!” Magilou moaned after Velvet started rubbing her pussy lightly.

„Go on. I want to hear it all.”

„You’re a cruel, cruel mistress, don’t you kn-OOOOOOOOW!”

„Less lip, more actual words.” Velvet commanded. A chuckle escaped Magilou.

„I want you to spank me like the bad, bad g-girl I am. I want you to rub my pussy raw. I w-want you to put all of your fingers inside me and so so HARD it hurts until I cum all over them. I want you to wreck me until I don’t even k-know who I am anymore, _please_.”

As she spoke, Velvet started playing with Magilou’s clit, though she wasn’t going as hard at it as she could. Her words we even more perverted than what they were already doing, which made Velvet feel even more heated than she thought she could be. This was far more control than she ever had in a situation like this. It was intoxicating.

„You really are a bad girl, Magilou.” Velvet said. „But you followed your mistress’ command. Mistress takes good care of bad girls who follow commands.”

With that, she hit Magilou’s ass hard, leaving a huge red mark. It elicited the most exquisite moan from Magilou, prompting Velvet to continue until there was more red than white on her behind. Each time, the sounds Magilou made were divine. Even with how dark this room was, she could see how wet Magilou was, a faint trail of it flowing down past her knees.

The time for teasing, however, was over. She put four of her fingers inside Magilou with ease, her body arching and moving the moment Velvet’s fingers entered her. Magilou was a mess of moans and cries of pleasure in a matter of moments. One finger was left to rub her clit; soon, they settled into a fast rhythm, Velvet doing as Magilou wished and going at her harder and harder with each thrust. With her free hand, she tugged at Magilou’s long hair, while also peppering her neck with kisses. It was a distraction from what she really wanted to do, when Magilou came close.

It surprised Velvet how fast that came to happen, but soon Magilou showed all the signs she was indeed close. Velvet doubled her efforts, and bit into where she previously was only lightly kissing her.

The moan Magilou let out as she came all over Velvet’s fingers was nothing short of the best noise Velvet ever made another person make.

If this was anyone and anywhere else, Velvet would have let up here and now, wanting a turn of her own. However, even though Magilou was still shaking from the pleasure of her release, Velvet kept going, determined to milk out everything she could from this annoying, irritable woman who’s squirming was so delightful to watch. Fortunately, Magilou seemed to pick up on what Velvet was doing soon enough.

The second release came much faster this time, this time accompanied by Magilou screaming: „VELVET!”

Satisfied, Velvet retreated her fingers from Magilou and waited until the woman came back to her senses. It took her more than a minute, which Velvet took pride in. Not everyone could make a woman lose herself like that.

They were not done, however. Velvet pulled Magilou from the desk and led her to the couch, which she laid down on. Her fingers were still sticky from Magilou’s cum. Velvet made a show of licking two of them while leaving the rest for Magilou.

„Hmmmm. I hope you taste as well as I do.” said Magilou after slowly going over every single inch of Velvet’s cum-stained fingers.

„On your knees.” She commanded, ignoring how perverted and amazing that comment was. „Get rid of my clothes and put that pretty little mouth to good use for once.”

„And if I don’t?” Magilou asked, somehow still retaining the ability to be as infuriating as ever.

„Do you want to find out?”

With the way her breath hitched, Velvet was sure Magilou was contemplating exactly that.

„Tempting, but I don’t think my body could handle it now. Besides, I want to see you laid bare as well. Can’t wait to see how beautiful you look when you cum all over me.”

Velvet was about to shut Magilou up when she took Velvet’s pants off and started licking her pussy. The moan that escaped her was involuntary, even if Magilou’s tongue already felt so good on her, inside her. The woman smiled with so much smugness, Velvet had no idea how she generated it after what Velvet had done to her. It had been some time since Velvet had had sex at all, nevermind sex like this. Restraining herself was not an option, not when it was clear Magilou not only had a pretty mouth, but also knew how to use it well.

Velvet arched into every touch, grinded against Magilou with a passion that she did not expect. The way she fucked Magilou just minutes before was only making her more eager to enjoy what Magilou was doing. For a minute, Velvet fantasized about Magilou doing the same things Velvet did to her, how amazing it would be if Magilou was the one in charge...

Her release came all of a sudden, washing over her in so much pleasure, Velvet was sure she never experienced it. For a whole minute, the only thing she could see was whiteness and nothing else, her whole body shaking from the experience. She came all over Magilou’s mouth and face, the only warning the moan that escaped her as it started. Magilou didn’t seem to mind. If anything, she was eagerly licking Velvet dry for every last bit of her release. When she was done, she looked up to Velvet with a cheeky, yet somehow honest smile.

„Yeah, you really do taste as well as I.”

„Good to know.” Velvet replied, her thoughts and senses back to a relatively normal state. „What now?”

„What now indeed?” Magilou asked, licking her lips, her voice back to her usual cheery expression. „What we’ll do now is discuss how I’m going to join your efforts against the Abbey, the „Shepherd Corporation”.”

Velvet’s eyes widened and her mouth flew open in utter surprise. Her mind screamed „ _What the flying fuck_?”, not processing the madwoman’s statement in full. Luckily, she brought herself back to a neutral expression fast enough that it wasn’t a serious blunder. It didn’t help in calming down the racing confusion of thoughts that was her mind at the moment. Not only had they fucked each other’s brains out minutes ago, that was delivered with such mock seriousness, Velvet had no idea what to think of the situation.

„ _What the holy fuck do you mean, you insane witch?_ ”

„Exactly what I said, my dear. I’m sure what I have to say will be of great interest to you, and I’m only offering the best for a limited time!”

Somehow, Velvet doubted those words. Everything pointed to the idea that she had made a huge mistake... but, she couldn’t shake off the feeling one piece of the puzzle she needed was going to be solved soon.

„Alright. I’m listening.” Velvet replied, ignoring how both of them were still very much naked and that the room was a mess from their actions, their stains, and the red wine which Magilou spilled earlier.

She had been in worse messes, after all.


	2. Surprises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooops, I probably should have finished this one sooner. Hope you'll enjoy it, this time with a guest point of view from Eleanor as well. Also, I had to rewrite some details from the first chapter since I went in this with zero actual world-building so I need to clean up some stuff, so if you're confused about a few terms just reread the first chapter, hopefully it'll be enough.

Magilou first picked up the half-spilled bottle, careful not to stain her dainty little feet, and poured the wine into two glasses, one of which Velvet accepted. She sat down back at the couch, settling herself in comfortable, and began sipping her vine as she spoke:

„When I picked this company up as a parting gift, I began noticing your escapades against the most illustrious, most beloved corporation in the world. Now, I wondered, who was this woman so hell-bent on causing havoc and destruction to the Abbey on a _daily_ basis, irrevocably against the „brightest star of the new world”, as they call Artorius Colbrande. Records I obtained about you have been quite unreliable, as much as the stormy seas of the ocean are. Still, I was amused by your daring exploits.”

„Will you get to the point already?” asked Velvet, losing her patience faster the more Magilou talked. Magilou shook her head ruefully.

„Tch. No appreciation for good storytelling! But I’ll make do. When you disappeared several months ago, I must say I was quite disappointed with it. The rising comet of the crime society of Midgand seemed to have exploded into dust!”

Magilou drank the rest of her glass, not taking her eyes off Velvet.

„And then I get the word from one of my contacts you are in a dire need of a job. Of course, I didn’t know for sure if it was you... but if you needed a job, then I was delighted to make one for you. The potential you displayed in your fight against the Abbey was great - I would cry the largest tears if it was wasted and discarded like a useless puppet. Fortunately for me, you started your crusade back up again, and even placed yourself in my care.”

„ _And_? You said you had an offer, but I’m not hearing one.” If Magilou wasn’t going to get to the point, Velvet was sure going to make her do it.

„The point, my dear, is that I want to do more than watch you from the sidelines. It is entertaining, for sure, to imagine what is happening when you destroy a warehouse of their supplies or butcher another group of Abbey security. That sounds like fun, and I want in on the fun.”

„You?” asked Velvet, eyes wide and not bothering to hide the incredulity in her tone. „What the fuck would you be useful for?”

Magilou smiled that wicked witch-like smile.

„Oh, there are many ways to be useful. A lot of information finds its way to my eyes and ears, and I can give you what you need. The only way your absence could be explained is if you had started planning something, and information about the enemy is always useful. But not fun, no. For that, I need my Link to the magic I can wield, but the slippery bastard betrayed his perfect, merciful mistress after being deceived by play most foul and went over to the enemy. However, I am sure I will get him back in my service soon.”

Ah. So the rumors among the staff that Magilou could, in fact, use magic, were true. Velvet was pleased to hear it was correct, but far from pleased that her Link was missing. Nothing could be simple with Magilou, it seemed.

„Why not get another Link instead? I’m sure you have more than enough resources to construct one for your needs.” It seemed easy enough to Velvet.

„Don’t be so crass!” Magilou replied, her voice mimicking that of a scandalized person. „Links are precious beings, and they only correspond well with certain types of magic. I cannot just make another one like him! That would be uncivilized!”

„Fine, you made your point. So, what about your traitor Link?”

„He has been providing his services to one Eleanor Hume. You’re familiar with her, am I right?”

„Familiar might be the wrong word.” replied Velvet, remembering the serious young detective tasked with hunting her down, hounding her at every step no matter how many times Velvet slipped from her grasp. „More like a pest that tries to latch onto me as strong as possible but always fails.”

„Well, whatever you want to call it,” Magilou said with a wink, „I got word she’s going to arrive for an inspection of our company soon. While I’d like you to somehow procure my Link at the same time, the first priority is getting her to stop poking her nose in our business. She needs to be left as frustrated as a maiden after her first time was unfulfilling, becau-”

Velvet got into Magilou’s face, assuming as threatening of a look as she could at the moment, and spoke with as much anger as was possible:

„Are you implying _I_ am going to be the one facing her when she arrives? Are you fucking insane? Don’t you know what that crying idiot has it in for me? I might have to wipe her blood off the floor if I end up having to kill her, and that’s not what I need right now!”

Magilou looked at her for a second before bursting into insane laughter. Velvet was simply stunned. To laugh like that when one of the worst monsters to walk the planet was practically threatening her, Magilou could be nothing short of insane. Not that Velvet had any grounds to judge her on it.

„Ah, my dear, but that’s what makes it so entertaining! It would surely be a splendid performance for the captivated audience!” Magilou closed the distance between their spaces, their faces near enough to touch.

„But we both know that’s not going to happen, don’t we? You have, after all, made sure to destroy any evidence that could be traced to you. There’s not even a warrant for you, as you have been _presumed_ dead. I swear, those idiots are just doing a really poor job as officers of the law!”

„I’m not sure the law would stop her this time.”

„You get on her nerves that much? Though, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised the praetor of the Loegres detective force, who wholeheartedly buys into the grand vision the Shepherd Artorius, would want to hunt you down with the fervor of a rabid dog hunting for its meal.”

„Getting on her nerves is the least thing she thinks I did to her.” Velvet replied dryly.

„At any rate,” Magilou spoke as if dismissing the matter, „your job today is to keep her calm and make sure this company is cleared of any possible suspicion. If you have done your job properly, then that won’t be much of a trouble. And I have many reasons, as I have found out, to believe you are very good at the job you do. In fact, I’ll even give you a raise, because I am the most generous soul you have ever met!”

Velvet had to use all of her restraint not to choke Magilou then and there. She had her cornered, both with the proposition of help, and with dealing with Eleanor. It was the perfect ploy - this witch of a woman made herself both alluring and useful enough for Velvet’s needs. Discarding her would be a waste, if she could contribute to the still forming plan.

„Alright.” Velvet replied. „I assume I’ll absolutely have to take you with me next time I’m on a mission?” She hoped it was the only catch to Magilou’s proposition.

„Yes! Without it, the deal might as well be thrown into the largest volcano on the planet!”

„Alright, you made your point. As long as you’re not completely useless in a fight without your link, I’ll take you with me.”

„Who do you take me for, my dear?” Magilou asked, enough sarcasm in her voice Velvet thought she could cut through it. „I can handle a gun, even if that is barbaric and uncivilized.”

„Good. If that’s all, then I’m going to prepare for the praetor detective’s visit. Things can never be too clean, you know.” Velvet got up, gathered her clothes, which were everywhere but thankfully just slightly ruffled. At least she could walk out of this room clothed. Magilou’s shirt and skirt were ruined as if a beast tore them apart. It made Velvet smirk.

„There’s one more condition.” said Magilou as Velvet started to leave.

„What?” Velvet asked, turning towards Magilou, equally exasperated and irritated.

„Today was amazing. I am sure you’re more than amenable to repeating it.”

„So that’s what you’re after now?” Velvet asked, amused. She couldn’t deny it was more enjoyable than she had expected it to be, and if that’s what took to make it 100% sure Magilou would be on her side, it was a small price to pay.

„Yeah, I can get behind that.” she replied. Magilou blinked at her once, twice, before starting to laugh. A _sincere_ laugh at that, which threw Velvet off.

„Velvet.” Magilou spoke, or tried to in between fits of laughter. „I can’t believe you made such an awful pun.”

„Huh?” Velvet asked, raising an eyebrow.

„Get _behind_ that. You know, like you got _behind_ me?”

It took a moment, but Velvet did get it. She groaned, which made Magilou let out a sigh of relief.

„Finally! I was beginning to worry you had no sense of humor left in you.” She clapped. „Now, off you go! We both have much work ahead of us.”

Velvet bit back the comment in her head(„Somehow, I doubt you’ll be doing much working.”), deciding to finally leave the room in silence.

\----------------------

There were many things Eleanor expected to see at the Lou corporation. General lack of shame, as the scenes she witnessed briefly on the lower floors of the building. A fairly lax working environment, though more professional than expected. The air of something going on behind the scenes she could not reach with a simple tour of the company.

What she could not expect, not even in her darkest dreams, was to find the criminal she was searching for the last year to be the person giving her the said tour, and Eleanor could do nothing but grit her teeth and listen to Velvet Crowe talk about company business as if she was just another employee instead of the worst demon of a human being Eleanor had the misfortune to meet. And it just went on and on and on, to the point Eleanor had trouble keeping up with what Velvet was saying. It was not just creepy in its own way... it was strange in the same way finding out the Prelate Melchior was actually living in squalor would be.

„Detective, are you even listening to what I’m saying?” asked the demon woman in the least demon-like voice Eleanor ever heard. „If you’re not going to do your job, you can just leave and report to your superiors everything checks out, as you can see.”

Eleanor shook her head. „My apologies. _Please_ , continue. I’m not going back without being able to make a full report.”

Velvet nodded and pointed to slightly above the tablet screen, where a 3D graph was shown. „As you can clearly see on this profit margin graph and the topmost line, it has been steadily increasing across the last year, accompanied by the rise of the employee’s wages with the line just below it to fulfill the regulation. If you follow me here, you can experience in-depth the conditions our workers do their jobs in.”

She made it sound so clinical and professional, even though the workers she was talking about were paid to have sex while the act was being live-streamed and recorded. Eleanor knew it was done with consent and enjoyment from the parties involved, but she had no personal interest in involving herself in anything like that. However, she did state outright to Velvet that she wanted to make a full report, and she wasn’t going to back down on what the demon woman thought would be a challenge for her, if the smirk on her face was anything to go by.

„Alright. Lead the way.”

Velvet opened the door and motioned for Eleanor to follow, no surprise evident on her face. The inside of this particular set of rooms was much as Eleanor thought they’d be - a lot of fancy, comfortable looking furniture of all sizes and colors, some of which were being used for current „shows”, others not, all of which had many lights focused on them. The „actresses” and „actors” mostly lounged around in the makeup rooms, most of them in various states of undress or in some strange clothes Eleanor knew were „attractive” to some people. The thought struck her, as she stood out here with her white, two-piece suit, white, knee-high boots, and a short blue jacket, that there were people on the planet who’d find what she herself was dressed in as „attractive” that way.

Eleanor pushed the images out of her mind the same way she glossed over what was happening before her. Such baseless thoughts were beneath her. She was not going to think about them. Ever.  _Ever_.

She confidently stepped alongside Velvet, Eleanor ignored her surroundings and focused on Velvet’s face and her words. Without missing a beat, the demon-woman was droning on and on about business practices the company had put in place. It was disorienting - Eleanor remembered a snarling face, full of hate and want of destruction for the sake of it. This image she had in front of her not only showed a businesswoman, but a savvy, pretty one too, focused on her work like a career employee.

Those two images clashed like armies of hated nations on a battlefield.

Soon, to Eleanor’s relief, they were done with the inspection she was supposed to carry out, now finding themselves in the lavish entry lobby of the building, the floors and wall done in black-with-white-specked marble, the first of which was half-covered with a plush red carpet. Steel gleamed on the abstract sculptures put around the lobby and the base for the receptionist’s workplace, with everything else made out of wood. Everything business-oriented in the Lou company seemed as well as it should be, none of the regulations she was well-versed in broken the slightest bit... which was impressive, considering the sort of people it was employing.

Speaking of said employee’s, Eleanor had something she had to do before leaving, if only for her own peace of mind.

„Is this to your satisfaction?” asked Velvet, impatience clear in her tone.

„Almost.” Eleanor replied. „If I may speak to you in private?”

„Sure.”

With no room nearby by the looks of it, and Velvet clearly not caring, Eleanor was led to a restroom. The moment she closed the black door behind her, Eleanor took Velvet by her blouse and pushed her into the white-tiled wall.

„I thought this was going to be an eye-opener for you, but I didn’t predict it’d get you to act out your urges this fast.” said Velvet, amused.

„Shut your mouth, you demon woman.” Eleanor commanded with more confidence than she felt. Going one on one against the most hated, and one of the strongest, criminals she knew off was not an easy idea to face. Before Velvet could say anything more, Eleanor continued: „What is this game you’re playing? Don’t think for a second I don’t see through your mask! There’s no way in heaven or hell _this_ is why you basically disappeared from the radar!”

„And _why_ would I tell you anything?” Velvet asked, her lips widening in a knowing smirk.

„I-I...” Eleanor stuttered, stunned by such a simple question. Why did she think it was a good idea to attack this woman and stand so close to her when what she wanted was to find a reason to arrest her. If Eleanor continued with this, she was the one that was going to be arrested, not Velvet.

„I just know no one just up and leaves the goal they pursued for years with the fervor of a fanatic!” she tried again, loosening her grip on the blouse, traitorous tears forming in her eyes.

A long silence followed. Eleanor looked into Velvet’s eyes, scraping every single bit of energy in her not to falter under the disarming, dangerous gaze of the demon woman. And then, Velvet got closer to Eleanor and whispered into her ear:

„You’re right.”

„ _Huh_?” Eleanor gasped, her eyes widening.

„I will not stop until my revenge for what your precious Shepherd Artorius did to me and my brother is done. Try and get in my way, and you know what will happen to you.” Velvet backed up, crossed her arms and smirked even wider again.

„And now, go along like the dutiful crybaby you are and report to your superiors. I’m leaving.”

Eleanor didn’t even really see her leaving. Just one second, Velvet was in front of her, the next, the restroom door closed behind her.

„What... Shepherd Artorius... did to her and her brother...” she spoke aloud, as if to confirm Velvet truly did say those words mere moments ago. It was another thing so contradictory to Eleanor’s mind - that the Shepherd of the world himself, Lord Artorius, did something which inspired such hate in this young woman. And yet, the way Velvet spoke as if it was not just a fact, but the absolute truth, was enough for questions to form in Eleanor’s mind.

„What the hell are you thinking, Eleanor?” She chastised herself, facepalming hard. No words from such a rotten criminal should ever pierce through the mind of a praetor of the Loegres detective force so.

And yet...

Eleanor went to the nearest sink and splashed water on her face. Cooling down was what she needed. A new plan as well. With Velvet’s activities as rare as they were, there had to be another way to track her.

„Track her...” Eleanor murmured, then looked at her reflection in the mirror with triumph. „Of course! I can follow her after she finishes with her job for today! Yes!”

It wasn’t much of a plan - Eleanor would need luck on her side to complete it, not to mention it was far from certain it would be successful, or even fully legal. After the figurative slap in the face she received today, however, Eleanor was more than willing to bend those rules. Her job was about finding true answers to take down criminals, and if she wasn’t doing exactly that, she was an even bigger failure of a detective than she was before.

With renewed vigor, Eleanor cleaned up her face, shot out of the restroom and out of the building, looking for an inconspicuous place to park her car that would also let her see which would give her a good view of the entrance. She was in luck indeed. There was just the spot on the other side of the street, half covered by trash containers placed alongside concrete walls, the last parking spot on that side... and unoccupied at that. Eleanor rushed to the company parking lot and to her car, going as fast as she was allowed once she was inside the standard, sturdy Ares car given to her as a detective to get to it before someone else claimed it. Fortunately for her, it turned out to be free once again, so she parked the car and got ready to wait.

Ready, that is, until her stomach growled and a cold sweat went over her. Eleanor realized just how much she had neglected to nourish herself; loathe though she was to leave the vigil, she had to provide herself something to eat or drink lest she collapses on the job.

Unbidden, the memory of how close Velvet stood when she whispered those treacherous words in her ear arose in her brain. Eleanor made a grimace for a second, at a loss as to why it came up on her mind. _Whatever_ , she thought, shaking her head. It didn’t even matter. There was food and water to buy and a vigil to come back to, and no time to think of such trifling things.

Right?

\----------------

It was near night and, however much Eleanor wanted to shake it off, her mind was in stupor from the boredom and eyelids heavy, and she was certain she’d fall asleep sooner or later.

Eleanor supposed she should have anticipated this. Unfortunately for her, in this case, the police didn’t need to take old-fashioned measures like this to monitor their suspects almost ever. Velvet, however, wasn’t a suspect, which made monitoring difficult. Her superiors proved to be of no help; Eleanor remembered how they, with glee, closed the case after Velvet’s rampage stopped despite all the reasonable objections she brought forth.

„The only thing that could have stopped that demon was death.” they said. „No need to worry about it any more. Let us handle this and leave this be.”

Despite the patronizing way they dismissed her objections, Eleanor had to concede the logic of burying this issue and focusing on smaller-scale efforts that could actually result in something. It made far more sense to use the resources that were being spent on finding Velvet on protection of the citizens and prosecuting crimes they had a chance to prosecute.

Now, though, Velvet was almost within her grasp, and Eleanor was not leaving until she had concrete evidence that not only was the demon alive, but still very much intent on going back to her old ways.

If only she wasn’t as sleepy as a preserved koala!

A sharp noise began sounding in the car. Eleanor’s sleepy eyes protested, but she forced them open, the noise waking her up from the dour monotony. It was coming from her Tether where her Links where tethered by. One of them, hidden in the parking area, was relaying that he saw Velvet getting in an old, near falling-apart red Venus and leaving the premises. The message had the immediate effect of clearing up Eleanor’s mind from the grogginess. Eleanor ordered the Link to attach itself to Velvet’s car, which it confirmed was a success after a few seconds. With a much clearer head, Eleanor waited until she spotted that very same car and began trailing it after Velvet was out of literal sight.

Following a dot on her right hand Tether’s map wasn’t an issue.

As Eleanor drove through the surprisingly empty streets of a cloudy Monday night, with the bright blue neon-tree lights as the sole lights in the darkness, she thought how she needn’t have actually done this little operation the way she had. Sending her Links to do all of the work, from searching and tailing Velvet to recording her place of residence and her actions there would have been far more efficient and restful for her. That’s what everyone else, below, above or the same rank as her would have done.

However wrong that was, however much the fact made Eleanor’s nights as sleepless as guilty criminal’s and her teeth grit with enough force to hurt, this case became more personal to her than her faith allowed. Whatever this thing she was doing revealed, she had to see it with her own eyes. Maybe it would help prove, once and for all, that Velvet was the evil she had seen her be so many times, if not in person then from the evidence gathered against her. Maybe the doubts that have been gnawing at her for so long like hungry caterpillars could be laid to rest.

And yet, sometimes, the recordings caught her voice speaking with rage about revenge for her dead brother. Killed brother. Sacrificed brother. Sometimes, she showed mercy at the strangest of times, not causing the destruction she knew full well she could if she decided all the innocent lives were worthless in her pursuit. Once, from a room full of valuables, she took an antique golden compass and nothing else, regarding it for a while before taking it.

At least, Eleanor thought it was Velvet. Damn her, she was very good at destroying what evidence she could. The exorcists were left with scraps which could only fit her profile, but were as substantial in court as a drunk eyewitness. Everyone was as far from solving the mystery that was that raven-haired woman with a demonic magitek hand... until now.

The Link’s location stopped changing and pinging. Seeing as the dot wasn’t disappearing, it must have meant Velvet stopped wherever her place of residence was, or near enough. Eleanor wasn’t surprised that the way already lead her into the poorer, less maintained parts of Stoneburry called The Bells. Bordering on slums, it used to be the original site where the city was built, famous for its yield of radishbells and the monumental Belfry. Since those days, the Belfry has fallen apart, radishbells became a useless crop after scientists created far better ones, and what was once a blooming flower withered to the point of near death. The patrols of the regular police were rare, and exorcist’s even rarer.

Once, three years ago, in another city’s neighborhood similar to The Bells, it was Eleanor on such a patrol. At the time, Velvet was not a name Eleanor knew as a fresh praetor-detective. The encounter with her later that day still left a bitter taste in Eleanor’s mouth.

Eleanor tightened her grip on the wheel, blinking out the wetness from her eyes. She knew she had gotten a chance she couldn’t afford to miss.

Nobody called her a crybaby exorcist to her face like that without being willing to face the consequences.

After parking in a side street in the middle of The Bells, right beside the old Belfry, Eleanor observed her surroundings. Cracks and dirty facades were abound on what must have once been pristine white buildings, the rare neon lights pronouncing how bad they where the light reached. Signs of life were apparent solely inside the half-empty residences, aside from the few late-night stragglers still on the streets. Even when Eleanor got out of her car, for all the gloom, the atmosphere was calm in the strangest way - not exactly oppressive, but far from relaxing either.

The location her Link showed was a block away to the right, on the top floor of an apartment complex if the 3D holo-map on her Tether was correct. When Eleanor laid her eyes on the brown-painted structure in decent repair, better than most of the others in the vicinity, she couldn’t help but stare in surprise. This was Velvet’s home? An ordinary apartment in a lower-class neighborhood?

No. There had to be more to it. Without witnessing it herself, imagining anything Velvet-related as regular was out of the question. Fortunately for Eleanor, the building opposite Velvet’s home was abandoned, no lights coming from any of the rooms that should have housed people. She ran inside it like a lightning bolt, racing to the top like her life depended on it. Her patience ran out like a dried up well. Eleanor was this close to her goal - she could indulge herself for the moment.

Once up on the roof, gasping the slightest bit for air from the exertion, Eleanor crouched at the edge overlooking Velvet’s building, half-covered by an unfinished concrete wall. She summoned the recent-most Link she was entrusted with - a strange little one with an actual name for itself, Bienfu. It was small enough to be far more useful in this situation compared to the others. Through its eyes, Eleanor would be able to see first-hand what the demon woman was doing.

„Bienfu, you’re ordered to go right across to that apartment over there as quickly and quietly as possible. You are to be my eyes and ears, so you will be punished if you fail being stealthy. Is that understood?”

„Got it, ma’am! I’ll go right to it!” it replied in its strange way of speaking. Sometimes, Eleanor pondered why it felt like Bienfu wasn’t just an android, but this was not the time for that. Focusing on the Tether, she watched through Bienfu as he flew to Velvet’s apartment, found a lose window, opened it without any noise and slipped in.

The room it was in could only have been a little boy’s room. There wasn’t much in it except clothes and school supplies and a little device on the small desk Eleanor thought was a compass, but the signs of it being lived in were there. Strange that a room like that was in here. What use could it be to Velvet? Was this the wrong place?

She heard voices in the other room. One of them must have been the small boy living in the room, while the other... it could not have belonged to anyone except Velvet, but there was some strange cadence to it. The moment she realized this, Eleanor sent an order through the Tether to Bienfu to go on further until he found them. It complied with utmost obedience, going step by step until it could open the door into the main room of the apartment.

„Velvet’s... _laughing_?” Eleanor blurted aloud. She rubbed her eyes before taking another look at the image in front of her.

Sitting on the grey couch was a boy of dull brown hair with white tips, barely visible from the edge, telling some story to Velvet with childlike excitement, who listened and nodded to his explanations and sometimes even _laughed_. Eleanor could not believe her face contained muscles capable of laughing.

What the hell was happening?

Velvet was living in an apartment with a young boy; there was no mistaking that. This demon woman was taking care of a child like she was a mother, like she was another normal human being. And yet, not twelve hours had passed since she proclaimed her revenge against Lord Artorius was over. Not a week had passed since Eleanor last suspected of her involvement in the destruction of an Abbey warehouse. Not a month had passed since another center devoted to researching androids was brought down in flames with her as the only criminal possible of doing such a misdeed.

All of a sudden, Eleanor realized how out of depth she truly was. There was something going on here, a mystery of unrivaled proportions, as big as Lord Artorius himself was. Mysteries required answers, answers she would never get if the mystery itself was apprehended or killed.

Dammit. Eleanor wanted to report everything she found out to her superiors. Now, the only choice left for her was to go directly to Lord Artorius and hope he would explain... this... whatever this was.

Bienfu sending her a note he got into a better position brought Eleanor back from her thoughts to reality. It was true, he did have a better view of those two on the couch. Both of them had meals in a bowl in their laps, Velvet’s hair in-between them almost like a safeguard. The young boy was still talking animatedly, the cowlick in the middle of his hair sticking up at something noteworthy he said.

Wait...

The boy...

Eleanor commanded Bienfu to zoom in on the boy so only his face could be seen. The hair, the fair features, those green eyes...

That was not a young boy at all. That was a Link, the same Link Teresa lost more than half a year ago! Everyone thought Velvet destroyed it! And what the hell was that fool woman thinking? Acting like a Link could ever be a human being?

It was all too much for Eleanor. She ordered Bienfu to retreat, and herself began the slow trek down the building and into her car, her mind a web of thoughts jumping in and out without care or order. The more she went over the events that happened, the less sense _anything_ made. It was like being left alone in the middle of an ocean with no land in sight and dangerous beasts prowling, their mission to devour her.

As she got into her car and started it up like on autopilot, Eleanor’s prime desire was to get some rest and hope sleep would clear something up. If not, Lord Artorius surely had the answers and would not deny her. Until then, she would try to do her best to answer things for herself as beset she could.

So focused was Eleanor on disassembling the situation at hand, she didn’t even register the two shadow’s watching her for what they were when she saw them.

**Author's Note:**

> Please, give me your thoughts in the comments, if it was good or bad or fantastic or awful, I wanna know everything, and leave kudos if you enjoyed it!


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